1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to devices for maintaining foods at temperatures within wide ranges above and below ambient conditions for moderately extended periods of time. Particularly, this invention relates to catering food storage containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Food catering services prepare, deliver and serve food for banquets, parties, meetings and similar gatherings of people. This requires catering services to prepare food at locations remote from where the food is to be served, to transport the food as in a truck, to remove the food from the truck, and to set up the food at the desired location for service. The time between preparation of the food and service of that food, or even the removal from the preparation area to delivery to the place of service generally extends over a moderately lengthy period of time, such as several hours. Typically, during or after preparation the food is put into standard sized trays, in which the food is transported and from which it is dispensed.
Both health regulations and palatable considerations require that food be transported and served at proper temperatures. Either the food must be heated or cooled just prior to service, or it must be transported in some way so as to maintain it at a suitable temperature level. In the past, food has been transported in large, tall and bulky units which have been commonly called transit trays. Typically, a transit tray is a stainless steel cart heated electrically, or by canned fuel heating units. Transit trays have presented several difficulties. The bulky nature of this type of food handler usually requires that at least four persons be present to load or unload them from a catering truck. The transit trays are often unsightly and usually must be kept remote from food service locations, particularly during banquets. This necessitates the inconvenience of having to remove individual trays from the transit tray system at remote locations prior to service or utilize an additional service cart.
Space and compactness often become a problem in the transportation of food to a service location. Cleaning up food, plates and utensils after a catering service has been performed must also be dealt with by the catering service personnel.